A Daunting Task
by onekisstotakewithmex
Summary: Gibbs has made up his mind: he wants to spend the rest of his life with Caitlin Todd. But before he can ask her, there is one obstacle he has to deal with: getting the blessing of Kate's old-fashioned parents, whom he doesn't exactly have a great track record with. Kibbs, Kate Lives, Part 11 of "With You, Every Day is a Holiday"


Trying to get time off was like herding cats – especially when trying to convince Jen to let him take a day off. In fact, considering the fact that his team was already down a person, he would have a better chance of convincing the pope to convert.

He was sure that at least the pope would understand.

And despite her arguments – none of them very good, yet all valid points – he had still managed to get a single day off, a Friday near the end of June, when students were finishing up exams and projects, and summer was so close you could taste it. Not that Gibbs took the summer off, or anything, but it didn't mean he couldn't hope. And he had a daunting task ahead of him.

First, he had a slightly less daunting task to deal with, and that was Kate's current living arrangements.

"What do you mean I have to go to Ducky's?" she asked, following him into their bedroom, where his go bag was currently sitting on the bed, half-packed. It was the damn bag that had incriminated him, but he was grateful that Kate was not especially nosy, for if she'd felt the need to snoop, she'd surely have found the ring box, and his mission would be over before it began.

"Kate, I got somethin' I gotta do."

"And I can't stay here by myself?" she asked, pissed off.

"Katie," he said, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Ya can't stay by yourself."

"Are you saying you don't trust me?"

"It's… no."

"No?" she asked, unimpressed.

"No. Nothin' like that. Look, Duck is perfectly happy to have ya stay with him. And it's just for one night. I'll be back in time for dinner on Saturday."

"Gibbs, if you're so worried, why are you leaving in the first place? Or better yet, why can't I come?"

"Kate, it doesn't concern ya. I promise. It's nothin' bad. Don't ya trust me?"

She sighed, and rolled her eyes. "You're not just going to see your other girlfriend?"

"Nah." He kissed the tip of her nose, pleased that it had ended with minimal bloodshed. "An' besides, you're _much_ prettier than she is."

She giggled a little, and that got him to smile. He knew that if she knew the real reason for his leaving, she wouldn't be nearly as upset. Or maybe she would be.

They had discussed a future, here and there, but never in definite terms. Never in _let's buy a ring and settle this right now_ terms. And he could only hope that she'd be surprised.

He could only hope that she'd say yes.

When he'd gotten up on the Friday morning, ready for the long drive, he'd found her still asleep, as she should be, curled up against him in his Marines sweater and little else. It had hurt him, sitting there, because it reminded him so strongly of the day before she'd been shot, their last quiet moment alone together. He'd brushed a hand over her hair, and felt oddly vulnerable when she smiled in her sleep at his touch. He leaned down and tugged the quilt up, before pressing a kiss to her forehead.

It was ten and a half hours to get to Carlisle.

 **XNCISX**

He pulled up in front of the house, and parked the car, sitting there for a minute. He knew that Andrew and Rosalie would be drawn by the sound of a car engine, and hurry out at any minute to see what unexpected visitor they were receiving.

He turned down the radio, and looked skyward. He never claimed to be a religious man, but there were occasions he looked for some kind of answers in the silence. "Shan," he muttered, closing his eyes. "Tell me I'm right in doin' this. Please."

And then his eyes flew open as the radio switched songs, the volume louder than it had been a minute ago. It was playing _Brown-Eyed Girl,_ and he couldn't help but chuckle, thinking of his own brown-eyed, freckle-faced girlfriend. "Not exactly subtle, are ya Shan? I take it you approve?" He turned off the radio, knowing that talking to his dead wife didn't really help him in the long run. It did however make him feel better.

Andrew and Rosalie were both racing down the stairs as he got out of the car, and as they got closer he realized that they looked worried.

"Gibbs," Andrew said, getting there first. "Kate. Is she okay?"

And then Gibbs understood.

"Did something happen to Caitlin?" Rosalie asked, coming up, breathing heavily, her hand on Andrew's arm.

Gibbs took a deep breath, about to say something, but Andrew beat him to it. "No, Rosalie, Kate has to be fine. If it was more urgent, he wouldn't have driven himself. Right?"

"Yes, sir." He offered a non-threatening smile. "Kate doesn't know I'm here."

"She doesn't?" Rosalie asked, looking between Gibbs and the car. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"I need to talk to the two of ya about somethin'. Somethin' important."

"Of course, Gibbs. Whatever you need. Come on in."

"And of course, you'll be staying?" Rosalie asked.

Gibbs froze. "Oh, no, Rosalie, it's fine, I can get a motel-,"

"No." Andrew answered for her. "You drove ten hours to talk to us, the least we can do is feed you and put you up for the night. Dan and Edie are already coming… if you don't mind seeing them?"

"Nah." Gibbs followed the two of them, taking the stairs two at a time. It was the second time he'd been to the house since Christmas, and the first time he'd been there without Kate.

Mike was standing in the doorway. "Gibbs! What are you doing here?"

"Hey Mike…" There was a pause. They'd reconciled whatever shit was between them, and Gibbs tried to smile, but his heart was beating too fast for him to think of anything else.

"What a surprise," Mike said lightly. "I thought you'd had enough of us for the month. Since it was what, a week and a half ago that we saw you?"

"I had somethin' I needed to say," he responded.

"All right. Well, whatever it is, good luck."

"How-?"

"You may be a federal agent, but it's written all over your face. You're _worried_ about something." Mike chuckled to himself as he headed down the steps, clearly heading out for a while.

"Gibbs!" Andrew called from the living room. "You coming in here, or are we holding this meeting on the porch in front of the neighbors?"

"No, sir, I'm coming."

He took a deep breath, looking up at the house for a second. He'd gotten his sign. Now he just had to grow a pair and ask what he'd come to ask.

"Enough stallin', Marine. Ya won't get any closer to marriage if ya stand in the doorway," he muttered to himself. And then, he stepped over the threshold, walking into the house, past the closet where he'd nearly had sex with Kate, and into the living room. Andrew and Rosalie were already sitting on the couch, a united front against whatever it was that he planned to tell them. He sat down in the chair across from them, his trembling hands in his pockets.

"What did you need to talk to us about?" Andrew asked.

"I know that the two of ya are old-fashioned, even if your daughter is pretty modern." Andrew smiled at that, but Gibbs continued. It was probably the best idea to just say it all at once. "I came to ask your permission… to ask Kate to marry me."

"What?" Rosalie asked, shocked.

Gibbs pulled the ring box from his pocket, and slid it across the table. "I'll be honest with the two of ya… I want to marry your daughter. I'd thought about it before, but… after she nearly died, I didn't wanna waste any more time."

"I don't blame you. We all thought there was a chance she wouldn't make it," Andrew said, nodding. "But why ask us?"

"Because for _once,_ sir, I want to do what's right."

"What's right?" Rosalie asked, pouncing on that. "Why bother? You've already been living in sin together for what… six months?"

"Rosie." Andrew laid a hand on her arm. "Stop. Hear him out."

"Thank you sir. I want to be honest with the two of ya."

"Why does that not sound like a good start?" Andrew asked, chuckling nervously.

"I've been married four times. Divorced three." Once again, he had thought it better to say it all at once.

"Wait a second, young man, your counting is off," Andrew said hurriedly, looking between him and Rosalie.

"No," Gibbs said. "It's not."

"Then you're still married?" Rosalie asked. She looked like she was about to be sick, her lips pursed at this sudden reveal of Gibbs' past. "You cannot marry our daughter if you're already married, Gibbs." She looked absolutely scandalized, but was that relief on her face too?

"No, Rosalie, I'm not married. My first wife… died in a car accident."

"God," Andrew said, surprised. "I'm… I'm sorry, Gibbs."

"I was overseas, couldn't do a damn thing about it," Gibbs said, sighing. "But there's more."

"Of _course_ there is, Gibbs. With you there's always more," Rosalie said frustrated. "What, are you secretly a woman too?"

"No."

"Rosalie!" Andrew said. "Stop. Please."

"I also had a daughter with my first wife."

"Had?" Andrew asked. He was a former cop, and picked up on the subtleties that everyone else ignored.

"Her name was Kelly. And she died the same day as her mother."

Even Rosalie looked like she was upset by this development. "Goodness, Gibbs, I had… I had no idea."

He took a deep breath, and continued. "I want to do right by Kate."

"Does she know… about your other marriages?" Rosalie asked.

"Yes. She does. Told her at Christmas. So if ya wanna make the argument that she doesn't know what she's gettin' into… she knows _everythin'._ "

"And she doesn't care?" Andrew asked in return, eyebrows raised.

"I respect Kate's ability to make her own decisions, sir. And she chose me." Gibbs stood, restless, staring at the corner where the Christmas tree had sat. They'd exchanged gifts in this living room, talked about Christmases past, but not the future. That had been later.

"Yes if there's one thing our daughter has, it's a strong mind, and a strong will to match," Andrew said with a chuckle. "So you're sure? You want to ask her to marry you?"

He looked down at the ring box and then up at both of them. "I was a husband and a dad once… I'd like to be that again, sir. I want a future with your daughter, if she'll have me."

Andrew smiled. "With an appeal like that, how could I refuse you?"

Gibbs blinked. "Sir?"

"Hang on a second." Rosalie was standing in between them suddenly, effectively ending the briefly happy moment.

"Yes dear?" Andrew asked politely, though there was a look on his face – no doubt it matched the one on Gibbs' own face – of _Good God what now?_

"What about Meredith?"

Andrew and Gibbs exchanged a look, before Gibbs asked, smile slipping from his face, "What about Meredith?"

"It doesn't bother you, knowing that Caitlin has something as shameful as that in her past?"

"That's not the way I remember it," Gibbs replied, his hands clenching into fists. "The way _I_ see it, is it's one more part of the woman I love. Rosalie, our Kate has a lot of love. It belonged to Meredith, and now I'm tryin' to be worthy of it."

"Trying?" Andrew asked.

"I'm not gonna lie to ya. I'm a bastard." He ran a hand through his hair, almost smiling to himself, and at the same time, missing Kate terribly. "It's a wonder that she chose me, that she keeps choosin' me… but she does."

Andrew stood too, walking over and clapping Gibbs on the shoulder, his face unreadable, and for a second, Gibbs almost thought that Andrew would tell him that as much as he liked Gibbs, he couldn't imagine his daughter marrying someone so old. And then he held out a hand. "Gibbs, you have my blessing. I know that my daughter is safe in your hands."

Gibbs shook his hand, relief coursing through him. "Thank you, sir."

"Don't call me sir, Gibbs," Andrew said with a grin. "Soon enough, we'll be family."

"Are you forgetting that Caitlin took a bullet for him?" Rosalie asked.

Andrew turned to her. "Rosalie, you have to remember that Kate makes her own choices. She's an adult. And if she's in love with Gibbs, then I'm not standing in the way of her happiness. And neither are you." The warning in his tone was evident, and Gibbs picked the ring box back off the table, hoping to get out of their unnoticed. He was nearly as uncomfortable as he was whenever Kate and Jenny were in the same room. "Hang on, Gibbs."

He froze in place, his hand on the ring box, covered in velvet. "Yes… Andrew?"

Andrew was grinning at him. "Don't I get to see this ring?"

"Oh, yeah. Of course." Gibbs handed him the box.

Andrew opened it, and stared down at it, his grin turning into a small smile, before looking back up at Gibbs. "It's classy, Gibbs. But not too much."

"I doubt he could afford something very nice with three alimonies to pay anyway," Rosalie commented to no one in particular. Andrew was still smiling, clearly intending to ignore her. The clock chimed, and by reflex they all looked over at it. "Oh!" Rosalie said, hurrying out. "Dinner."

Andrew sighed once she'd left, and pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "I'm sorry, Gibbs, it's just the age difference, and…"

"She doesn't like me. Which is fair, because I feel like a mother-in-law shouldn't like me. And if I were a father, I wouldn't let my daughter anywhere near men like me."

"Yes, but Kate knows her own mind better than Rosalie knows it."

Gibbs laughed. "Good point."

He heard the door opening into the front hallway. "Whose car is out front?" he heard Daniel asked, and grinned to himself, sliding the box back into his pocket.

Andrew turned to leave. "I should probably help Rosalie with the dinner. If you don't mind?"

"No, not at all… where are the twins?"

Andrew looked embarrassed for losing track of his grandchildren. "I _think_ they're downstairs in the den."

"I'm amazed they haven't come runnin'."

"They do have a sixth sense when it comes to you," Andrew agreed, before leaving.

And a second later, he wasn't alone in the living room any longer. Because Dan and Edie were there.

"Gibbs!" Edie said, hurrying over, despite the baby in her arms, kissing him on the cheek. "It's so good to see you!"

"You saw him a week and a half ago," Dan said impatiently. "Honestly, I think you're more excited to see _him_ than you are to see me."

"Don't be a grump, Dan," Gibbs said with a grin.

"Yeah, because that's your job, right?" Dan asked.

Gibbs looked at his niece, who was staring back at him with wide eyes. And then she reached for him. "Ooh look, she knows exactly who's gonna spoil her," Edie said teasingly, but she handed over the baby all the same.

"What brings you here, Gibbs?" Dan asked. "Business again?"

"No… I was actually here to talk to your parents."

"Ooh," Edie said. "That's interesting. I can imagine what a _fun_ conversation that was."

"Edie is a little anti-Todd at the moment," Dan said in a stage-whisper, as Edie rolled her eyes. "Since Mom asked yesterday if we plan on expanding again any time soon."

"Uh… I don't think so," Gibbs said.

"And I share those sentiments, shockingly. Rosalie sees no problem in me being pregnant again."

"Noelle is barely six months old," Gibbs said, kissing his niece on the nose, before handing her back to Edie. "Rosalie can't possibly be serious."

"It is _really_ hard being an in-law in this family," Edie said with a sigh, shaking her head. "You're lucky, you're staying out of it."

"Well…" Gibbs said, and then grinned, before pulling the ring box out of his pocket and handing it over to Dan to look over, since Edie had her hands full.

"Christ, Gibbs, I'm flattered," Dan said, a hand over his heart. "But you know that I could never leave Edie here. Even for you."

Gibbs rolled his eyes, as Edie grinned at him. "Is that what I think it is?"

Dan opened the box, and showed it to her. "What do you think, dear?"

"Wow, Gibbs… it's beautiful."

Gibbs grinned at her. "See this is why I like the two of ya, you always know the right thing to say."

"I try," Dan said, but then he crossed his arms. "You want to marry my sister."

"That's right."

"Despite the fact that you're a divorced, self-proclaimed bastard who is also her boss?"

Gibbs shrugged, a half-smile on his face. "Nobody's perfect. And she might not even say yes."

"Oh I'll bet you she will," Edie said with a smile.

"I'm in agreement with my wife. Although Gibbs, I suggest you reconsider."

"You think it's a bad idea," Gibbs stated.

"No, no, I don't think it's a bad idea. In fact, I could _definitely_ see more of you. But… you really _want_ to be tied to this family? Are you _insane_?"

Gibbs shrugged again. "It's worth it… for her."

Dan rolled his eyes, and appealed to the sky. "The man's smitten! No turning back now!" He grinned back at Gibbs, a mischievous smile that reminded Gibbs of Kate. It made him miss her.

"I think it's sweet," Edie said.

"You do love when a man is whipped, don't you?"

"I prefer him handcuffed, but that's beside the point," Edie told him, and Gibbs started laughing, looking between the two of them.

"A family as crazy as this? I think I'll fit right in." Edie was still laughing herself as she left the room. Gibbs looked over at Dan. "And what do you think, Dan?"

"Wasn't aware I had an opinion, Gibbs. But all I will say is welcome to the family. And if you need anything… let me know."

"There is _one_ thing I need," Gibbs said, leaning forward. "Can ya give me Rachel's number?"

"Rachel?" Dan asked, surprised. "Yeah… sure. Why?"

"Because I need her help with somethin'." Gibbs didn't feel the need to continue and Dan nodded.

"Is Kate at your place all alone?"

"After being shot? What, ya think I'm crazy? Nah, she's at Ducky's. Can't leave her alone in her condition."

"Good to hear. I would have shot _you._ " And then Dan grinned, clapping him on the back. "Look at you, Mr. Commitment! Ready to take the big steps!"

"You better not ruin the surprise Dan, or-," his threat was cut off as Dan pulled him into a hug.

"Does that make you my brother?" he asked, pulling away.

"C'mon Dan, don't get all mushy on me."

"Sorry," Dan said, and grinned.

"Dinner!" came the yell from the kitchen, and both Dan and Gibbs winced at the sound of it.

Dan turned to and whispered, "Are you sure you want to join this nuthouse?"

"Pretty damn sure," Gibbs said, following him through the kitchen to the dining room. But Rosalie grabbed him by the arm.

"Gibbs."

"Rosalie," he said politely. The food smelled amazing, and it was the first thing he'd eaten all day, so he was eager to eat, but figured he'd better be friendly to his future mother-in-law, set a good precedent.

"Are you marrying Caitlin because she's pregnant?"

" _What_?" Gibbs asked, staring at her. " _Pregnant_? Kate's not pregnant."

"You told Daniel that you can't leave her alone in her condition."

"Yeah, her condition of recoverin' from bein' _shot,_ Rosalie. Remember? She won a medal for it."

"Right…" Rosalie responded, clearly trying to be polite, but Gibbs rolled his eyes.

"Goddamn it, Rosalie. She won a medal, and all ya care about is if she's pregnant or not. What kind of- Ya know what, not worth it." He walked past her, grabbing a plate. He should have known that _something_ would go wrong.

One down, one to go.

 **XNCISX**

It was after a very lavish breakfast the next morning that he'd finally managed to get away. And he'd been lucky to escape too, with the way the twins had each latched onto one of his legs, begging him to not leave. The fact that he hadn't brought Aunt Kate with him barely deterred them. And finally, trying not to laugh, Mike had gotten them to desist.

It was a gorgeous, sunny day, but Gibbs knew that he would be spending it in a car again, driving back. The ten and a half hour drive had been useful when he'd been trying to figure out what to say on the way there, but he was going to spend the whole way back thinking of Kate. He walked past the headstones, looking for his destination. Dan had told him (roughly) where to find it.

And now here he was, standing before a grave, not realizing why he was uneasy until he realized that if Kate had died, she would have been buried in this exact cemetery, maybe not even too far from the former love of her life.

"Hey Meredith," he said softly. "I know Katie never introduced us, but…I'm glad I finally get to meet ya. I guess ya know why I'm here."

He knelt down on the grave, his knees protesting, reminding him that he was outliving his usefulness. And it reminded him again that at least he hadn't outlived his Katie.

"Mer… I know that maybe I'm not the best man… a real bastard, that's what everyone tells me. But I… don't care 'bout what everyone thinks… just Katie. I want her, Mer. That's it."

He ran a hand through his hair. "I'll take… whatever the world throws at us, as long as I can have her. Meddlin' agencies, Tony's idiocy… all of it. I'm a bastard. But I want to be _hers._ " He stood. "And I hope that you woulda approved."

He walked back to the car, thinking only of how it would feel to have Kate in his arms once again. He hated being away from her, especially in her vulnerable, post-shooting state. She'd taken a bullet for him, the least he could do was be there for her while she recovered.

 _I'm comin' home, Katie._ The thought stopped him in his tracks. It was no lie that with the families they had, they considered each other to be _home,_ but at the same time… he hadn't had to think twice about how he felt.

And that was exhilarating.

 **XNCISX**

He pulled into the driveway of Ducky's house, wanting nothing more than to go propose right then. He could, if he really wanted to, and he had no doubt that she'd say yes. But that would be the coward's way out, the way out of a man who has been married four times already. She didn't deserve a fifth-marriage proposal. She deserved a first-marriage proposal, and goddamn it, that was what she was going to get.

He grabbed the sunflowers from the passenger seat, and got out of the car. He hoped that they'd saved some dinner for him, but if not, he'd gladly eat leftovers. He was really here for the company anyway.

He started walking, and had just gotten to the porch steps, when Kate opened the door. She stared at him for a second, and then grinned. Despite being in her condition, she ran down all three steps and threw herself into his arms.

She smelled like spring flowers, and the promise of summer, and tasted like heaven to him when she finally pulled him into a kiss.

He pulled away, still holding her in his arms, "I should leave more often if that's the welcome I'm comin' home to."

"I don't want you to leave," she said lightly. "At least, not before dinner. Ducky and I spent all afternoon putting it together."

"Hope he's not workin' ya too hard… that's my job."

"Oh c'mon Gibbs," she said hopelessly as he cracked up, and then she started laughing too, before she noticed the flowers. "Are those flowers for me?"

He cleared his throat, and held out the sunflowers. "'M not the romantic type, the type of guy who brings ya flowers, or the domestic type…. And yet ya love me anyway."

"Well, consider this, Leroy Jethro Gibbs: you're my type," she said, pulling him in close to her, and he leaned his forehead against hers. She smiled up at him. "And I do love you."

"I'm glad," he teased. "Who else would I overwork?"

"Well, I'd suggest Tony, but I don't think he's your type…"

He mockingly headslapped her, and she giggled. "Watch it, Katie." They were interrupted by the sound of his stomach growling, and she started laughing even harder.

"Before you take me home, I think we should get some food into you. Before you keel over."

"I would _never_ keel over, Katie," he said, as they walked hand in hand up the steps. "And I wouldn't object to takin' ya home right now."

"Not until you eat this absolutely marvelous dinner, Jethro," came a voice from the top of the stairs. Gibbs felt suddenly very much like a teenager as Ducky stood in the doorway. "Not after Caitlin worked so hard on it."

"Well _everyone_ treats me like an invalid so there's not much else I _can_ do!" Kate complained.

"Patience, Katie. It's always rewarded," Gibbs said.

"Not too much of a reward though," Ducky said mildly, "Since you are still restricted from most strenuous activities."

As he led the way into the dining room, Gibbs leaned in and whispered, "We're gonna have to get creative then, huh Katie?"

"I can do creative."

Ducky turned to him. "Jethro if I hear that you've been wearing our poor Caitlin out-,"

"Relax Duck, she's in good hands."

Kate smiled at him, and took one of his hands, nodding in agreement. "I trust you."

"I hope so."

He met Ducky's eye over dinner, and nodded. Ducky looked between him and Kate, and smiled at both of them. All of the pieces were falling into place, however slowly.

Now all he had to do was ask. And hope that she'd say yes.


End file.
